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He looked at her, confused by her not being impressed, she guessed.She turned again to leave. Why was the royal family sending an inexperienced soldier into the deep woods of town? She haltered and turned back around.

“You should not tell them about the grizzly.”

She blinked when she noticed that he didn’t move an inch, watching her with curiosity.

“Why not?”

“It was not his fault.”

The boy chuckled. “He is dangerous, if it weren’t for you I would be dead.”

“If it weren’t for him,” she points to the wolf still hovering beside her. “You would be dead.”

“But you threw the machete.”

Her mouth opened in surprise. Did he see that?

“Don’t tell them about the grizzly. They are usually living here in peace, you disturbed his natural habitat,“ she told him.

“I am allowed to walk on any grounds the King owns. Including this forest.” Noora narrowed her eyes in disgust at this arrogant man.

“Well, then good luck for the princeling when he sends his soldiers here, who scream at the sight of the bear.”

Fire blazed in his jade eyes, but the rest of his face stayed cool.

“I remember you running too.”

“I wasn’t the one screaming like a girl.”

“I did not—” He took a step forward and she immediately drew her arrow, the wolf growling beside her.

The man raised his arms, fascination glinting in his eyes.

“Why is he loyal to you?”

“That is none of your business,” she hissed, her arrow still pointed at him.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Yes, you did,” she said. “You were deliberately arrogant, not caring about nature and its inhabitants, knowing it would rile me up.” She drew the string tighter.

“The question is why.”

A slow smirk grew on his lips, caught in the act. It pissed her off, so she let go of the arrow.

He didn’t move an inch as it soared past his frame, only inches from his cheek. She drew another one. “The next one won’t miss. Who are you?”

Hands still raised in the air, he took a step forward. The wolf growled and the man faltered.

“My name is Kai.”

Chapter 10

Noora

“Last name,” Noora stated.

“I do not have one.”